'Top Roping' in the School of Rock

Proper Techniques for Grigri Use
The release of the Petzl Grigri in 1991 marked a major step in the evolution of belay devices: Here was a device that assisted significantly in catching a fall, and also allowed a belayer to hold and lower his partner with little effort. Belay slaves rejoiced, but incorre...

Julie Ellison at Climbing Magazine

How to Tie an Alpine Girth-Hitch
The seldom-used alpine butterfly knot has long been considered the gold standard for climbers when tying into the middle of the rope. Prestigious guide services and hallowed tomes like Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills teach the butterfly for glacier travel and any oth...

Blake Herrington at Climbing Magazine

Five Techniques for Better Footwork
It happens to all of us: Youre 10 feet above your last bolt, over-gripping and breathing erratically, and everything feels off. Whats wrong? The tension in your body has caused you to lose your balance. But there are ways to get it back, even when youre mid-rout...

Amanda Fox at Climbing Magazine

Bolted Toprope Anchors
Once you start venturing outside the gym to pull on real rock, you or your climbing partner might not be quite ready to tie into the sharp end, so its essential to know how to set up a solid anchor for toproping. Many climbs have two bolts (or chains or rings attached t...

Julie Ellison at Climbing Magazine

Setting Up an Anchor-Friendly Toprope
You're climbing outdoors with novice friends, and you want to rig a toprope from a fixed-chain anchor. Youre the only one in the group who can safely install and clean a toprope setup, but you loath having to climb each route twiceonce to hang the rope, and once to cl...

Russ Facente at Climbing Magazine

Techniques for Solo Toproping
Which is worse: training on the same old greasy boulder problems or losing your climbing partner in a fight over unmarked gear? Either way, climbing alone is a fact of life. If you want a new way to train or work your latest project without the inconvenience of a partner,...